In the 21st century, businesses and the Internet are tied up really close. Modern entrepreneurs tend to switch their focus point to online channels, and such an approach seems to be working very well. Modern businesses use the Web to expand, promote their products, sell, and to make new connections. Most of the business correspondence is now held online too, and the most popular tool for communication is email.
Communication via email is an integral part of the global business process. Therefore, it is very important to know the general rules for writing business letters. In this article, we will share with you some of the main tips for writing perfect business emails!
Key Elements Of A Successful Business Email
Let’s start with looking at different elements included in a good message.
Subject Line
The first thing that people notice is the subject line of your letter, and in most cases, it helps them define whether they should ignore or open an email. Therefore, you should pay due attention to this element. Make sure it is direct and hints to the recipient what the content is about. At the same time, it should be concise and clear.
Also, if the person you are trying to reach out to is not familiar with you yet, try to grab his or her interest with the subject line. This will ensure that your letter won’t be deleted right away.
Beginning Of Email
It is highly important how you start your message! Traditionally, it should begin with greetings.
Writing to someone you don’t know yet, you should insert a person’s full name in your greeting. However, you could also use options like “Dear Sir / Madam” or “Dear Mr / Ms / Mrs” followed by the recipient’s last name.
Writing to someone you already know (for example, colleague), you can start your letter with “Hello” or “Dear” followed by the recipient’s name.
After you’ve greeted the recipient, it is worth adding some polite, off-topic introduction. It can be either gratitude or something that indicates your interest in the recipient. For instance, “Thanks for the response.”
Next, you can get directly to the point of your email or if the recipient doesn’t know you yet, you can start with a short introduction that tells who you are and why you are writing a letter.
Main Part
In the main body of your letter, you have to disclose its topic. Be sure to make it clear and straight to the point. Also, don’t make it too long because the shorter your letter is, the more chances you have that it will be read to the end.
End Of Email
As a rule, before you write a farewell phrase, you should add a short and polite closing sentence. Here you can emphasize that you are either waiting for a response from the recipient of the letter or you hope that everything stated is clear to the reader. You can also thank the recipient for their attention and time.
Next, you should add a message ending. Usually, in business emails, people use any of the following:
- Best wishes,
- Sincerely yours,
- Kind / Best regards,
Then, you add your name on the next line.
Email Signature
One more element of a perfect business letter is a top-notch email signature. People are often undervaluing this point. However, it is a perfect tool for grabbing attention, making your email memorable, and engaging recipients into further communication!
What does a good email signature do? It works as your digital business card, giving people an idea of who you are and what you do, while sharing your contact details. Apart from that, it can bring many other benefits – drive more traffic to your online channels, attract potential customers, and it makes you look professional!
You can create an email footer yourself or use a special online generator. We recommend choosing the second option as it will save you a bunch of time. One of the best tools to consider is Newoldstamp email signature generator. With its help, you can create unique signatures with no effort!
Tips For Writing The Best Business Email
Now, when you know all about the structure of a perfect letter, let us give you a few handy tips on how to create a perfect business email:
- Respect the recipient’s time
In other words, always make sure that the message you are writing is actually needed and important to whoever will read it. Time of every person is priceless. When you send a letter, you take away a person’s precious time, so you must ensure that you don’t waste it in vain.
2. Indicate addressee’s name
Of course, in case you don’t have much information about your recipient, it is acceptable to address your letter without stating the person’s name. However, you should do your best to find out the name of the person who will read this letter. Also, if you have the name, make sure you write it correctly! Incorrect spelling of a name cuts off all possible connections with a person before the letter is even read.
3. Establish an emotional connection before you get down to business
It is important to create a connection with the addressee before it comes to business. This will make the recipient feel a little more inclined to you. Pretty much any off-topic question or statement will work.
However, you have to be concise and truthful because when you make false statements, it has the opposite effect. You must write so that the recipient believes that you are not just sending the same template message to everyone, changing only the recipient’s name, but that you are genuinely interested in making a connection with this particular person.
4. Keep it short and get to the point
Once again: the time of any person is priceless. Get down to business and describe the situation with as few sentences as possible. You can assume that if you provide the recipient with the maximum amount of detail, the likelihood that he or she will get back to you will increase. Sometimes, the effect is opposite. A large text overloads the reader. Thus, they will rather delete your letter than spend 10 minutes reading it.
5. Express your request clearly
Even if you want to make your letter as short as possible, express what you want to receive from the addressee quite clearly and specifically. If you ask a question, be as specific as possible. The shorter your letter, and the easier it is for the addressee to answer your question, the higher the likelihood of receiving the answer.
6. Provide links
If in your email you are talking about any online resources such as a website, online store, or blog, be sure to provide links to them. Of course, it won’t take too much time to look it up, but you should try to make everything as simple as possible for the recipient.
7. Check your email for mistakes
Read your letter several times to make sure that everything is written correctly and there are no typos. Remember, you are trying to make a first impression – let it be good.
